Mark Cuban Fined $600K for ‘Tanking’ Comments

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has been fined $600,000 by the NBA for saying his team should tank this season.

Cuban called tanking “brutal” but acknowledged that he told his team that it would be best to lose for the rest of the 2017-18 season. Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement that the fine was for “for public statements detrimental to the NBA.”

Report: Jimmy Butler Targeting Return Before End of Season

Jimmy Butler could return to the court for the Minnesota Timberwolves before the end of the regular season, if he continues to stay on track with his rehabilitation from surgery on his right knee.

“I can’t give you the exact date, but I want to come back and I want to help,” said Butler, who sat courtside during the 129-120 loss Sunday to the Rockets in his first appearance on the bench since he was hurt.

“I have a little bit of time left, but I know my guys are going to stick this thing out and do what they’ve been doing, keep us in this race,” Butler said. “And when I come back, we’ll see what we have left in the tank.”

“I just want to play. I feel like I’ve done this long enough to know that I can still go out there and make something happen,” Butler said. “Now, I promise you I’ll be out of shape. I promise you that. But just getting out there and getting back in a rhythm of things, that’s going to come natural.”